There is a lot to see and do in this town and there is a little bit of something for every taste. For the thrill seekers you have rides and roller coasters; for the culturally minded there is art and history; for the animal lover you can get close to lions and tigers and dolphins (oh my!); and for everyone there are those iconic Vegas experiences from fountains to giant lights in the sky.

Las Vegas used to be a wasteland when it came to dining, most famous for cheap buffets and graveyard prime rib specials. These days Sin City is one of the top dining destinations in the world with most of the biggest names in the culinary world in the kitchens (or at least directing the people who are). From award-winning haute cuisine to affordable fare, Vegas has a little bit of something for everyone.

There are more hotel rooms in Las Vegas than in any other city in the world - 150,000 or so and counting! We have reviews, contact information, photos, and more for all of the major hotel-casinos in Las Vegas and a few other non-casino hotels that are worth your attention.

HOTELSWE RECOMMEND

Las Vegas has loomed large in American culture, from its early days as a Wild West railroad town through the birth of The Strip, Bugsy Segal, The Rat Pack, Elvis, and the modern casino era. We have collected some amazing memorabilia from Las Vegas' past, on display here in our Museum.

New York, London, Los Angeles, Ibiza... these are cities that are famous for their nightlife scene. But Las Vegas has more hot clubs, bars, lounges, and strip clubs packed into a smaller area than just about anywhere in the world. Almost every major hotel/casino has at least one high-energy nightclub and several bars and lounges. If you hit several a night you could spend a month and still not even come close to visiting them all.

NIGHTLIFEWE RECOMMEND

Las Vegas is a recreation lover's paradise with golf courses designed by some of the sports biggest names; outdoor activities like hiking, horseback riding, skiing, and more; tennis; bowling; auto sports; and much more. And of course if all that sounds like too much effort, you can always just relax in one of Las Vegas' world class spas.

Whether you've been to Vegas a million times or are planning your first trip, there are lots of details to think about. The Resources section has plenty of helpful advice on helping you plan a great trip, transportation, health and safety, weddings, and information for travelers with special needs.

RESOURCESQUICK LINKS

Las Vegas is not just for tacky souvenirs anymore. These days the city has become a destination for shoppers, where you don't just pull out your credit card and buy things, you have a shopping "experience." Some of the highest revenue generating malls and stores in the world are located here and visitors to the city spend almost as much money in them as they do in the casinos.

Say what you want about Hollywood, Vegas truly is the entertainment capital of the world. Where else can you see showgirls and big name superstars, Elvis impersonators and eight(!!) Cirque du Soleil productions, magicians, female impersonators, singers, comedians, and so much more?

SHOWSWE RECOMMEND

There are few cities in the world that move at a pace as quick as Las Vegas does. It seems like every week there is something new happening, something old going away, and something big being rumored. In the Vegas4Visitors Weekly Column, you can stay up to date with all the latest goings on in Sin City.

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AT A GLANCE

What is it?

The Dolphin Habitat is a multi-pool, certified sanctuary for bottle nose dolphins while the Secret Garden is a small zoo for animals that were once featured in the Siegfried and Roy show here at the hotel before, you know, one of said animals had a disagreement with Roy. It's mainly jungle cats in the Secret Garden including the famed White Tigers.

Where is it?

Is it worth the cost?

Without a doubt! This is the most un-Vegas thing in Vegas and it is worth every penny.

What else do I need to know?

For extra costs (hundreds of dollars) you can swim with the dolphins or even get the to paint with you (they hold special brushes in their mouths while you hold the canvas). Oh, and by the way, no, the tiger that ate Roy is not on display. Come on, you know you were curious.

What's the bottom line?

This is a unique diversion in Las Vegas, especially if you are into animals.

GALLERY

FULL REVIEW

Since it opened with The Mirage in 1989, Siegfried & Roy's Secret Garden and Dolphin Habitat have been the best un-Vegasy thing to do in on the Vegas Strip. If the general mayhem and excesses of Sin City are getting to you, come here and watch a white tiger strut or a dolphin leap and what happens in Vegas will stay somewhere outside the gates.

Originally constructed and operated as two separate facilities, the two attractions have been merged into one with a single entrance and admission. Of the two, the Dolphin Habitat should garner most of your attention.

It is easy to have some pangs of environmentally conscious guilt over the idea of dolphins in captivity, but all of the animals were either rescued or born here and it is considered to be one of the most well-run and most highly respected facilities in the world. The trainers and staff have an obvious affection and respect for their charges and the animals themselves seem to be flourishing, with some of them living well past their 30-year life expectancy (which is about double what they get to in the wild).

A regular admission gets you unlimited time around the multiple pools, where trainers regularly exercise and show the dolphins. Although there is a regular schedule of Sea World style performances, the real serene bliss comes just from hanging out poolside, watching them swim and occasionally splash or otherwise interact with people.

If you want to get more involved than just a spectator level, there are several programs that will allow you to do so. A VIP tour can be arranged for small groups taking you behind the scenes to both facilities; a Trainer for a Day program gets you into the pool as you feed, learn how to give commands, and swim with the dolphins; and the Painting with the Dolphins program unleashes a creativity streak for both you and the animals as you make a masterpiece.

I got to do the latter program and it was a blast. First, a trainer gives you the basic do's and don'ts, which add up to listen to everything the trainer says and do whatever they tell you. Dolphins don't like surprises. Next you get a blank canvas and pick your three paint colors and head toward the pool.

The trainer dips a specially crafted brush into the paint and the dolphin holds it in its mouth while you hold the canvas out over the pool. The dolphin comes up out of the water and literally paints a picture for you. Your input is mostly limited to choosing which color goes on the brush and which area of the canvas to have the dolphin focus on. It's a giddy thrill, especially since you get to keep the final product.

My dolphin painting buddy was Osborne. Check out the pictures in the gallery above.

Afterward you get some dolphin 101 from the trainer, educating you on their bodies, their habits, and even their personalities. The biggest surprise for me? That the texture of their skin feels like vinyl. You get to touch them and even issue a few basic commands. It's more fun than it has any right to be.

Prices for the painting experience start at $200 and the trainer experience starts at around $500 depending on the season. Expensive? Yes. Worth it? Totally!

The Secret Garden, meanwhile, is basically a small zoo that houses animals once used (or descended from animals once used) in Siegfried & Roy's magic show that played at the hotel years. That show ended spectacularly badly when Roy had a disagreement with one of the white tigers and in case you are wondering, no, that particular tiger is not on display here.

Instead you get a menagerie of big jungle cats that mostly just lays around in the shade, which is much smarter than the idiots standing in the hot sun trying to take pictures of them. Don't get me wrong, the animals are beautiful and it's cool to see them, but it's not a terribly exciting thing. I mean it's not like you get to watch them stalking a wounded gazelle or anything.

I loved this attraction when I first visited more than 20 years ago and I still love it today.